


No Greater Force

by Roadstergal



Category: Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Genre: Caring, Divorce, F/M, Foreshadowing, Gen, Illusions, Loss, Love, Other, Platonic Soulmates, Siblings, Telepathy, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 22:16:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13961175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roadstergal/pseuds/Roadstergal
Summary: A small vignette gapfiller near the end of VIII.  Thanks to Kahvi for the inspiration.





	No Greater Force

The little metal dice seemed to glow in the dim light, the way the motes of dust did as they danced around the old bunker.  Old, yes - tired, not solid shelter anymore, not to be relied upon to keep the demons at bay.

Just like her.

As her fingers touched the little charm in Luke’s hand, though, their nature became clear.  A projection, a semblance, as fleeting and ephemeral as her memories.  She clasped the illusion anyway.  It was comforting.

As was the touch of Luke’s hand on hers.  The pain of being apart had become such a dull, ever-present ache that losing it, just for this moment, made the years fall from her shoulders.  Even if his body was not here, _he_ was here.

And thank the stars, she found she could talk to him, their Force-language so swift and sure that even the immediacy of his quest did not rush them.  All of the decades since she had last used it fell away.

_I’ve missed you so much._

And he fell over himself to gush,  _Me, too, my dearest sister…_

She squeezed the illusion, imagining the cool metal solidity it should have.   _I didn’t cry for him._   She felt the small tug of startlement, a jab of pain, that Luke would never have shown in his face had they been using words.   _I don’t know why_.

_I know you loved him…_

_But not by the end.  I cared for him, but I had… stopped loving him._

There were no lies in this language, not even lies of omission.  _I had not._

_I know.  That’s the irony, isn’t it?  You never stopped, but he could never accept it._ She smiled at him kindly.  It was so very Luke, to feel so strongly, hold so strongly to something so important, all of the way to the bitter end.

_I couldn’t even be the father his son needed._  Luke’s blue eyes were so sunken, so tired.  But they still had hope in them, a spark of possiblity.  Where did he get it from?   _You’re the mother Rey needed, though.  She’s the Jedi that Kylo never was._

_I can’t be that for much longer, Luke.  I’ve seen my death.  It’s coming._   Another little stab of pain from him.   _It’s all right, though,_  she reassured him, in the language with no lies.   _It’s been too long.  I’ve seen too much defeat and too much death.  I can’t stop while I have breath, but I’ll be pleased to stop once I don’t._

_I don’t pretend to know what happens after, Leia.  But I’m about to find out.  And – we’ll see each other again, I promise._

_This is all I wanted, Luke.  To see you one more time._

It was more than she could have hoped for.

And then he was gone.


End file.
